
Thursday, March, 30 | 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Session: D2: Resiliency and Reliability | Track D: Resiliency and Reliability: Adapting to Climate Trends
Austin Beach
Center for Sustainable Energy | Engineering Specialist
Presentation Title:
Evaluating the Value of Energy Resiliency Using a Hybrid Cost-Benefit Analysis Tool
Abstract
The Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) will present on a hybrid cost benefit analysis (CBA) tool that analyzes qualitative and quantitative site characteristics to optimize a selection of distributed energy resources (DERs) to provide energy reliability and resiliency for the site and surrounding communities. Local geographical risks, economic, health and environmental burdens will be accounted for in the analysis to evaluate the added economic and social benefits of implementing energy resiliency.
Financial metrics including capital costs, return on investment and potential life cycle savings will be paired with reliability and resiliency scores to provide guidance on next steps for a site. The increased social and community benefits will be highlighted by the hybrid CBA for sites in areas of identified higher risk or burden and provide regional emissions rates, targeted action items and resources based on results. The goal of this analysis tool is to best understand the social, economic and environmental impacts of implementing DERs where the value of energy reliability and resiliency is higher for the surrounding community.
Bio
Starting as a Fellow with the Santa Rosa Junior College, Austin has played an integral part of the CEC EPIC Santa Rosa Junior College Micro-Grid project by piloting utility consumption accounting and submetering efforts. At CSE, Austin has leveraged his knowledge of the campus infrastructure to assist with various M&V efforts including development of an M&V plan, submetering implementation, data acquisition, analysis and interpretation. In addition to this work, Austin similarly supports other CEC EPIC projects as well as provides technical review support for the Self Generating Incentive Program.